Trisha P.
Yelp
The first part of this is a mid-stay review,so I will update it in a couple of days before checking out. You will see the new portion below under UPDTATE
The Grand Bohemian is new, built from scratch about 15 months ago. That is one of the good things, everything about it seems fresh and crisp. And for those who are familiar with the Kessler chain of hotels, now under Marriott's Autograph brand, the Grand Bohemian fits the bill very nicely. It has a quasi-hip, funky and offbeat character focused on art, that feels at once upscale and eclectic.
The open spaces around the lobby are super and you know once you arrive that everything here is super clean and maintained very well. It also, for a place that is striving hard to be different, is a little antiseptic. There is no soul here. You can't create that simply with fabulous furniture, it has to be with the people at the hotel - both guests and staff - and somehow that magic quotient is missing here. Anyone who has been to a successful boutique eclectic hotel, such as the Raleigh or Delano in South Beach, or the Mondrian or SLS in Los Angeles, know the difference of a hotel that works organically versus one that has the look but not the real deal.
The Eleve Bar off the lobby is a cozy room with a communal table that encourages some good mixing. The one downside was that the night we arrived they were hosting a special wine and cheese reception for Marriott Rewards members. That's us, but there were a few people there with a total of 5 pet dogs, two of them barking. That pretty much destroyed any desire to relax at the bar. I understand places nowadays like to be dog friendly, but this made it uncomfortable for the rest of us.
The bellmen who greeted us were super friendly, and also helpful later in some suggestions for local dining. The reception desk had only one person checking in a small line, so we had to wait. It all turned out to be efficient once we got to check in and the process was simple. We weren't told that the room we were getting was handicap accessible or that the 'historic view' it promised was on to a parking lot on the side street. And we weren't give any introduction about the hotel or where he dining and fitness spots were.
That is why this hotel is only getting 3 stars midway through the stay. The room we got was a King as promised, but it has its shortcomings. As mentioned, the 'historic view' is literally only to a side street and a large office styled building and its parking lot. We now know that 'historic view' simply means a view to the street, there are evidently some interior rooms as well.
The closet is not very good if you are making a longer trip, it is narrow, and there is only one half of it on which you can hang clothes. The top rack is very short and you can't put much on it without it getting wrinkled. Nowhere to put a coat.
There is no desk for doing any work, so this is clearly catering to a casual tourist not a business traveler. Pluses are that the room does have great and many USB and electrical outlets, as well as a coffee maker and small fridge. But on the downside there are only 2 drawers in the entire room for clothes. So again, strong on style, not so great on function.
WiFi is free. Great. But super slow. Not so great.
For such a new hotel, a small thing that seems a bit of a throwback to an old day to have paper 'do not disturb' signs that hang on the outside door handle. Those get lost, crunched over time, sometimes taken by a prankster, and all in all it would seem there are far sleeker ways electronically to display when it is time for privacy or room service.
Last thing. Large bathroom, that is great. Downside is the shower, which turns out to be with a handle only. It is a pain and really quite inconvenient to shower like this. When we checked this morning with the front desk, that is because we were given an ADA room. That is why it would have been great if Amy, who checked us in, had given us a heads up. Karin, at the desk in the morning, told us the hotel was full and she would look for a different room but couldn't promise. We passed, we'd rather get out and enjoy Charleston than spend part of the day moving all our stuff on an extended trip.
So I want to like this hotel a lot. It's location and style is great. It's rooms are OK. It's just falling short a little to really shine.
UPDATE
I'm checking out after 3 nights here. Some of the pluses and minuses have become clearer during my stay.
PROS:
- the bar off the lobby, with a wine dispensing system for tastings, and Sarah, the sommelier, was super friendly and knowledgeable.
- the casual restaurant, Maison Cafe, is very well priced for a hotel for breakfast
CONS:
- WiFi got worse over the stay, the server often refusing to work
- water pressure in the shower is real weak